Post 4/5

LifeProof has a PR area titled media on their website. LifeProof Media in this part of their website it tells people what types of events they have participated and what events they have coming up for the future. At these events the LifeProof brand is using their PR to reach investors and the communities. Unfortunately LifeProof does not do a lot of advertising and PR to reach out to people. They have a great following just based on social media and I feel that this is how they reach to investors. After an investor sees what can be done with a LifeProof company, this should be all that is needed to reach them and get them to invest.

Again, the strategies that are used to reach the government would again be through social media. On the LifeProof website under business, the company list ways that LifeProof can benefit the government and help government workers by using their case. Click here: Government to check out have LifeProof can make a difference in a government employee’s life.

LifeProof is trying to reach out to businesses. On the Lifeproof.com there is a section called Business. This section gives businesses contact information to order LifeProof products for their company. Such businesses include education, healthcare, government, and enterprise. On Page 173 Argenti and Barnes ask “what’s in the name?” Here I will dissect the definition of Corporate Social Responsibility to figure out if LifeProof demonstrates CSR.

1.   Cause-Related marketing- this is when LifeProof’s marketing would collaborate with a nonprofit organization to form a mutual benefit.  Life Proof does not collaborate.

2.   Community Relations- LifeProof does this well because through their social media they consistently have two way conversation with the community

3.   Corporate Citizenship- The company LifeProof provides products and services that appeal to their stakeholders.

Providing and demonstrating Corporate social responsibility by communicating effectively and responsible towards their customers, stakeholders, and with the community. They communicate well through social media, YouTube videos, and blogs.

To further these strategies I would do more outreach to the community. For example, although LifeProof has products that might be beneficial to law enforcement, health care, and educational program I would want to be at all fairs and open houses for these professions. I would also want to demonstrate this product in house to CEO so that they can adapt and incorporate the LifeProof Lifestyle in their work environment. To further the strategy to work with non-profit organization I would probably this product and market it with the Boys and Girls club organization. This way the children can play with electronics and the organization knows it will not get broken or destroyed and can take the wear and tears for many years and in the hands of many children.

With social media being the center of this products marketing and advertising I would boost the communication in a crisis and work harder to communicate with all social media communities and all groups of people. There have been some negative reviews on YouTube about the product but LifeProof continues to do very well and continues to promote their product and the happy customers help promote it as well through social media and YouTube.

I think the most important strategies during a crisis is taking advantage of SEO and SEM. On page 246-247 Avanti and Barnes talk about the important steps to take to surviving a crisis.  This step for me is very important because the last person you want to find out that you made a mistake is a stakeholder. A company must try to eliminate all negative statements about the company so that they can continue to get money for their product and people to back up their product.  The second most important is to identify who has been affected by the crisis and customize the communication to improve communication quickly and resolve any issues with each affected group separately. 

Entry 3/4

According to chapter 4 “ New Media Relations in the Conversational Age”, traditional media is newspaper, television, magazine and radio. According to LifeProof the company does not participate in any traditional media. Although LifeProof participates in news articles, it is online magazines and blogs like this article on Eonline.com. The new media relations strategies that LifeProof uses are social media and entertainment sites such as: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube,pinterest, Tumblr, and Gmail.

The brand detail that LifeProof incorporates into their media relation’s strategies is that on their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram page it is apparent that you are on the company’s official page and not a copycat page. On these social media sites the company or their intern responds to many of the questions and comments and engages in multiple conversations with their subscribers. Check out this conversation between Facebook followers and LifeProof!

LifeProof’s media strategy compliments its personality in many ways.  Its social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter allows their customers to be able to post on the different social media about their love for their product. On sites like Pinterest and Instagram happy customers can take pictures of their accidents such as dropping their phone in the pool, or food and drinks spilling on their phone. With the LifeProof case their phone and electronic device is protected. Check out this photo that was on Pinterest!

 Most photos, videos on YouTube as well as comments that are added to twitter and Facebook from customers are all positive. Although it helps the company with its reputation it also gives customers the appearance of freedom, heavy duty, protection, and durability, which is the personality of LifeProof. The comments helps the company know what is needed and expected of LifeProof and ways for them to improve. Since this company is a case to protect electronic devices and is well known for its iPhone case, it is only appropriate for LifeProof to use new media relations strategies. This helps with their target audience because the people they are marketing to use many different apps on their phones such as Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook.

LifeProof's media strategies can be improved through their promotional video. I feel as if their videos on their Youtube channel and website to promote their four proofs are too staged and made into a mini movie. I feel as if the company should use real people making real mistakes and having accidents with their phone and devices. It should be more believable, I feel as if when a person who has no prior knowledge of the product watches the video they should be saying “Oh Shit!” and be amazed at how well protected the device is when using the LifeProof case.  Being a person who has both a LifeProof case for my iPhone and iPad case I feel that the original LifeProof video does not demonstrate the  durability of the case and do justice. Since I have had several incidents with my phone I know what it can withstand, I would prefer a real person like myself demonstrate and the company post my video to promote instead of their mini movie. Checkout these two videos!

 VS

Entry 2

The personality of LifeProof is that it is a fun and exciting brand which allows people to have fun and live an exciting life!

LifeProof exhibits uniqueness because it is the only smartphone case that can be taken into the water and protect your phone up to six feet deep in water. Out of all the protective cases out there LifeProof is a slim case that does a great job protecting without the need to be bulky.

The LifeProof brand is very authentic in the way that it is a very credible product. LifeProof is credible and it is attest by thousands of happy customers through YouTube video’s showing off its protective case. The motive of the LifeProof Company is to allow customers to have freedom with their phone, and not to feel limited. This company’s main objective is to foster individuals active lifestyle which do they well buy providing different accessories for their cases to help them have a limitless active lifestyle.

LifeProof is talkable on multiple mediums. People are constantly uploading videos via YouTube to demonstrate the capability of their LifeProof case and even teaching others how to install their cases correctly. I have been one of those people to follow a YouTube video to install my iPad case.  People are following LifeProof on Twitter and Facebook, leaving numerous comments about how they love their case and enjoy being able to take their case on vacation and capture pictures and video of their adventure.  LifeProof has their own blog and a section on the website under “Our Community” where people can submit their stories and experience with their LifeProof case. LifeProof also has an instagram page and below the story submission there is a submission for photos and video as well. These stories and experience would not be possible without such a badass protective case.

LifeProof scores well with their onliness statement. From just looking at the product and experiencing it first hand I know for a fact that buy using my phone case daily it expresses the onliness statement without a doubt.  The onliness statement highlights 3 components.

1. The brand is LifeProof and the products are cases for smartphones and iPads.

2. Its case provides the following features, it is:

a. Water proof

B. Shock proof

C. Dirt proof

D. Ice proof

3. The benefit of this product is having confidence and freedom when using your phone whenever, wherever and however you please.

On the LifeProof page the onliness statement is incorporated in the mission statement. The onliness statement reflects the brands personality in a few ways. Since this companies personality is a fun and confident it is clearly expressed in its benefit and features. LifeProof is a unique company and its personality shows it by allowing their consumers to talk freely about them. This also has something to do with confidence which LifeProof has and shares with their customers.

Within the name LifeProof, it is just so simple and a potential customer would be able to know that it is about protection. The symbolism for this company is: 

From Google Image 

Which helps customers identify what the product will protect their technology from.  There is unified brand architecture for this company because the product name and symbols are consistent with the slogan “Let’s Go!”

 The only noticeable brand alignment that I have noticed is that on the back of the cases for the iPad and cellphone case LifeProof has its brand name on it with its branding symbols. LifeProof does not do major advertising like Coca-Cola and place their company name and emblems on delivery trucks, and other products.

LifeProof applies Bhargava’s three personality principles by talking as if they are a real person and not just following a script. Everything on their website Lifeproof.com expresses a real person who is hip and can connect with its audience. LifeProof has videos that demonstrate what the case can do and prove its durability is the way that LifeProof market to its customers. This is one way the LifeProof can admit that they are a marketing company. Although LifeProof is popular for its cases another way that they market directly to their consumer is by adding additional accessories to appeal to their wide range of consumers. Having a sense of humor is the third principal of personality. Below is a video that has a bit of humor to it but does not shy away from LifeProof marketing strategy.

LifeProof

Looking closely at the principles of personality I would conclude that LifeProof is a fun company that can communicate well with its consumers. This company knows how to use their marketing strategy to connect with people and yet be humorous at the same time. This company allows their fans and consumers to write on their social media pages and post videos on YouTube about their experience with LifeProof and that’s what makes this company adhere to its mission.

Entry 1

I chose to do my research on LifeProof. I chose this brand because I love their products and if I had not purchased their product from I would have wasted several hundreds of dollars replaces my electronics.

I was first introduced to the Lifeproof case when I first purchased my iPhone from Best Buy in 2012. The sales associate showed me the damage that happened to his iPhone when he had a regular case on it and right in front of me he dropped his iPhone on the ground with the LifeProof case protecting it. I was in awe, to this day I have no idea if it was just a sales pitch to get my money but it sure did work! I hadn’t heard of the Lifeproof brand before and when I saw how protective the case was I had to buy it. When I bought my iPad I also invested in the LifeProof case for it. I knew how fragile the iPad was and I need the best protection that I could get.

LifeProof’s mission statement is listed on its website Why LifeProof along with their vision and promise to their customers.“We seek to change the way you live, work and play with your mobile electronics. LifeProof’s premium smartphone cases, tablet cases and accessories are designed to deliver complete confidence and total freedom – the freedom to live however, whenever and wherever your life takes you.” – http://www.LifeProof.com

LifeProof debuted in February 2011 at the LAUNCH Conference. It received the award for best product and presentation. The founder Gary Rayner introduced the LifeProof Case to the audience, media, and potential investors as an Apple iPhone 4 case. Gary Rayner dropped the phone, dunked it in a fish tank, and covered it with dirt, ketchup and mustard. In the end, the iPhone was functioning perfectly.  The next 18 months LifeProof spent over $1.5M to perfect the design and meet environmental objects goals. The history and the mission both demonstrates the complete confidence and freedom that a person holding a device protected by LifeProof should have at all times.
LifeProof Company Background 

 LifeProof offers protective cases for apple products and now it offers cases for Samsung galaxy. These cases protect each device from water, dirt, ice and shock. For each case LifeProof has designated accessories, for example they offer adaptors for charging or to attach the device to another product such as a car charger. LifeProof offers their customers several connector and waterproof headphones. This company also offers items for the people into fitness and outdoor activities such as tripods for iPhones, bike mounts, and armbands that are specifically for LifeProof users.

I think that this brand is perceived as an investment. It offers lifetime warranty, great customer service, easy and accessible to purchase as it is located in electronic stores and on their website. This brand is also perceived as durable because all Lifeproof cases can protect your device from water, dirt, snow, and shock.